322 
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 
[Vol. 16 
were determined as accurately as possible. Each group of colonies was 
packed for winter during late October or early November 1921, in a 
different manner. One of the methods of packing was possible with but 
one colony, so that the results in that one case are not conclusive. The 
other three groups each consisted of from seven to ten colonies. 
The methods of packing were representative of three degrees of pro¬ 
tection. The least protection given was by means of stacking colonies 
in single and two-story brood chambers, with entrances reduced to 
X 3 in., facing them south and covering all except the fronts of the 
hives with tarred paper. A medium protection to a row of two story 
hives, placed side by side and facing south, was afforded by a layer of 
2-3 inches of planer shavings, and a thickness of tarred paper surround¬ 
ing the stack on all sides, leaving only a X 3" opening at each hive 
entrance. A thorough protection was afforded a group of eight colonies 
by packing them in quadruple cases with at least ten inches of planer 
shavings surrounding them, leaving an outside entrance of 2}4" X 7 /16". 
The winter of 1921-22 in northern Utah proved to be one of the 
coldest recorded in about thirty years, although sufficient snow fell to 
partially cover the colonies during the coldest weather. 
In order to learn the results of wintering, the activities of all colonies 
were carefully observed during late winter when the bees were likely to 
fly out and their condition and strength checked as promptly as was pos¬ 
sible at the beginning of spring. While drifting was an almost negli¬ 
gible factor, the averaging of results has been made in such a manner as 
to avoid error from that source. 
The results show that a relatively greater quantity of stores are con¬ 
sumed by a unit population of bees in weak colonies even though they 
are well protected, than is necessary for the same number of bees in a 
strong colony even with much less protection. Colonies with a mini¬ 
mum of stores failed to winter as well, or as economically as those well 
supplied with stores, regardless of the population of the colony or the 
thoroughness of the packing. The idea expressed by many beekeepers, 
that the sunshine warms up and benefits colonies left with their fronts 
uncovered was not borne out by these observations. The bees ventured 
out less on bright cool days from colonies housed in double brood cham¬ 
bers with small low entrances than from those in which light could enter 
more freely. This resulted in the loss of fewer bees from flights in cool 
weather, from the protected colonies and much more rapid spring breed¬ 
ing. 
Strong colonies wintered in double brood chambers with ample stores 
and reasonable protection, set with their entrances near the ground 
